If Jesus gets in on the act of praise as a common activity, it makes sense that praise is a holy habit. When I think of what it is to praise and the heart from which it comes, there are a lot of good reasons why praise is an essential holy habit. I asked my […]
Read More Holy Habits: PraiseLately I have been considering the issue of holy habits and shared a little about it by way of a prelude. It is my intention to get into the habits in more detail as the blog entries come and go. At the moment though, I want to delve a little bit further into the issue […]
Read More Holy Habits: Why Be Holy? Like Father …There is a difference between a skilled person using their skills well, being known for that skill but with a character that lacks and a person who may not have outstanding skills but commits their life to having an outstanding character. The end of the life of Asa is tragic. Tragic because of the character […]
Read More The Rise and Fall of Asa: 5 – A Wholehearted Life for the GiverIt occurred to me near the end of August that I was eating far too much chocolate. Again. At times of excess there is time for cutting out stuff that should only be taken in moderation. As the chocolate intake had risen, so the fruit intake had decreased. In itself the two are not really […]
Read More Fruit Reflections (The Fruit Series 29)In a previous entry I wrote about self-control. As is often the case, when I write about something, not only is it something that connects with past experience, it also says something about what I am about to experience. Over the course of the day with the various challenges presented to test the capacity of […]
Read More My Dad and MeeknessSelf-control is one of the most fascinating aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. Paul is insistent in telling the church in Galatia that there are two forces at war with each other: the flesh and the Spirit. He outlines what the works of the flesh are – so we know what marks out people […]
Read More Fruit of the Spirit: Self Control (The Fruit Series 28)The fruit of gentleness is a worthy way of knowing that God lives in you. It is difficult to be gentle when aggravating factors are around. It is difficult to be gentle when disappointment, dismay and disaster strikes. It is difficult to be gentle when there’s a great sense of jubilation at a wrong made right. […]
Read More Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness (The Fruit Series 27)Shoes are an interesting part of my family life. My Dad trusted his shoes. He ensured that whatever shoes he wore would last him a long time. Part of that was about his maintenance, but a big part of that was about the choice of shoes he wore. He could rely on them to take […]
Read More Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness (The Fruit Series 26)Never underestimate something useful. One understanding of the word goodness is usefulness. There is a word that is not given the kudos it deserves at times. It’s taken for granted because a number of useful things are considered to be standard fare for the life we live. Clothing, food, utensils, devices, systems, methods and techniques […]
Read More Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness (The Fruit Series 25)Qualities that emerge because of the indwelling Holy Spirit have a beautiful flow to them. Such is the flow that it makes sense that they are not seen as fruits of the Spirit, but fruit. Love, joy, peace and patience are complimentary and for that to then be followed by kindness (or gentleness) further supports […]
Read More Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness (The Fruit Series 24)
